On August 21, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan secured a conviction against Morales, who has a lengthy criminal history, beginning in 1984, with convictions including marijuana distribution, cocaine possession and trafficking charges and distribution of methamphetamine. He had been sentenced to a total of more than 27 years in prison in Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas for these and other charges, including possession of a machine gun and causing mutiny or riot at a federal correction facility.

He was ordered removed by an immigration judge in April 1997 after being released from prison on the firearms and drug possession charges. In July 1997 he illegally re-entered the United States and in April 2000 was convicted of additional narcotics charges and Illegal Re-Entry, in violation of 8 USC 1326. The judge in today’s case sentenced him to an additional 12 months in jail for violating the supervised release conditions of the April 2000 convictions.

Morales was originally arrested in this case by United States Border Patrol agents from the Detroit Station on 01/14/2018, after Redford Township Police Department encountered him while investigating a traffic accident.

“Our goal is to safeguard our communities, and justice has been served today with this conviction. These types of aggravated felons should be taken off the streets and prosecuted for their criminal acts. The U.S. Attorney’s office worked hard for a fair conviction and the federal judge imposed an appropriate sentence.” Detroit Sector Chief Patrol Agent Douglas Harrison commented.